In short:

As a backer of this on Kickstarter, I'm disappointed in this. The premise had such potential, but in the end, it feels like nothing more than an OSR grab on the coattails of the Hellboy RPG Kickstarter with bad writing and desperate need of an editor.

As a fan of the genre, this brought nothing new to the table, and was an abbreviated Black Hack with minimal heroic flavoring. As someone who's growing increasingly burned out on (and burned by) OSR and the OSR/d20 approach to heroes, this didn't help. There isn't anything new here for the genre or style of play; the opportunity was there and it was dropped.

As an editor, I cringed every time I turned a page: inconsistent writing, missing or an overabundance of punctuation, and a poor background color choice make this an unpleasant to read title at best and impossible to read at worse.

If you're a die-hard OSR fan, you might find some enjoyment here. Otherwise, I cannot recommend this to anyone.

Fuller review can be found at StickyBunton on 2/24/2021.

I acquired Running Out Of Time via the Kickstarter, as well as the other two zines from the same line.

Mechanically speaking, the game is a simple OSR mechanic, rolling low on a d20 to determine success. Unlike other OSR-style games, combat is sincerely fast and deadly, with attacks that always hit and damage that can take you out in one hit, buit character creation is almost equally fast to balance things out. That said, the mechanics as a whole are simple; I read the full set of three in an afternoon, and could have run any of them comfortably by that evening, making this a great purchase for a convention-bound GM.

The biggest appeal to this zine is the number of useful tools within it. Diogo does not skimp on random tables to help generate interesting situations or characters on the fly with a couple dice rolls, and even if I'm not running the game the tables alone are worth the price of admission.

Sadly, the color schemes of each of these may cause problems for those with eyesight issues and/or color-blindness. While the text is light color on a darker background, these are overlapping images on every page, which can be a bit problematic at times.

If you like OSR titles, useful tables for other games, or the general themes of this zine, absolutely pick it up. If you're not a fan of brutal combat and potential character death, dislike OSR, or don't like the theme of the zine, you'll want to give it a pass.

Fuller review can be found at StickyBunton on 2/24/2021.

I acquired The Dead Are Coming via the Kickstarter, as well as the other two zines from the same line.

Mechanically speaking, the game is a simple OSR mechanic, rolling low on a d20 to determine success. Unlike other OSR-style games, combat is sincerely fast and deadly, with attacks that always hit and damage that can take you out in one hit, buit character creation is almost equally fast to balance things out. That said, the mechanics as a whole are simple; I read the full set of three in an afternoon, and could have run any of them comfortably by that evening, making this a great purchase for a convention-bound GM.

The biggest appeal to this zine is the number of useful tools within it. Diogo does not skimp on random tables to help generate interesting situations or characters on the fly with a couple dice rolls, and even if I'm not running the game the tables alone are worth the price of admission.

Sadly, the color schemes of each of these may cause problems for those with eyesight issues and/or color-blindness. While the text is light color on a darker background, these are overlapping images on every page, which can be a bit problematic at times.

If you like OSR titles, useful tables for other games, or the general themes of this zine, absolutely pick it up. If you're not a fan of brutal combat and potential character death, dislike OSR, or don't like the theme of the zine, you'll want to give it a pass.

Fuller review can be found at StickyBunton on 2/24/2021.

I acquired Screams Amongst the Stars via the Kickstarter, as well as the other two zines from the same line.

Mechanically speaking, the game is a simple OSR mechanic, rolling low on a d20 to determine success. Unlike other OSR-style games, combat is sincerely fast and deadly, with attacks that always hit and damage that can take you out in one hit, buit character creation is almost equally fast to balance things out. That said, the mechanics as a whole are simple; I read the full set of three in an afternoon, and could have run any of them comfortably by that evening, making this a great purchase for a convention-bound GM.

The biggest appeal to these zines, but especially in Screams Amongst the Stars, is the number of useful tools within them. Diogo does not skimp on random tables to help generate interesting situations or characters on the fly with a couple dice rolls, and even if I'm not running the game the tables alone are worth the price of admission.

Sadly, the color schemes of each of these may cause problems for those with eyesight issues and/or color-blindness. While the text is light color on a darker background, these are overlapping images on every page, which can be a bit problematic at times.

If you like OSR titles, useful tables for other games, or the general themes of this zine, absolutely pick it up. If you're not a fan of brutal combat and potential character death, dislike OSR, or don't like the theme of the zine, you'll want to give it a pass.

I was fortunate enough to see the book in early iterations prior to the Kickstarter, and wrote up a full review of the content available at the time for the review website Sticky Bunton.

That said, the TL;DR version of the review is as follows:

The Good Compared to the first edition of Iron Edda, this is a massive improvement. The layout is cleaner and more organized, the art is improved, and the book is overall more coherent. If you had issues with the first edition, they have been fixed here!

For Fate fans, you'll find that this is a rather approachable version of Dresden Files Accelerated (which tends to be challenging for non-Dresden fans), with a new "mechanic" tossed in via the Holdfast Creation. For anyone who's struggled with making a city that feels alive while also investing players into it, this new tech makes this chore much more interesting and interactive.

I'm also fond of how it's a viking-themed product that doesn't feel like every other bit of viking-themed material we've been seeing. There's a lot of nuances missed in pop culture that Tracy ensured were within these pages, and I'm all for it.

The Bad My biggest (personal) gripe with the book is that there just isn't enough when it comes to the setting. We are told of other parts of the world, but in vague ways that lead to more questions than answers. We have some plot points, but not so much the how or the why. While I am usually against strict "by the book" when it comes to storytelling, I would like to know how the world works a bit more before I start tweaking everything.

The only other complaints I have rest with my ambivalence to the artwork (simultanesouly lovely but clunky at times) and the lack of new "tech" for Fate enthusiasts (as it can be viewed as a reskinned Dresden Files Accelerated with some new themes and mantles). Some newer entrants to the game won't see the latter, but the former is a mixed back.

The Verdict I think any fan of the Fate RPG would want this on their shelves. It adds some codified rules while also bringing in an interesting setting that is well worth the read. There's some great ideas and twists to mechanics within the book, and the biggest limitations are caused by not having enough detail in certain spots.

I found it to be well worth the price of admission, and would strong suggest it if you enjoy vikings, mecha, and Fate.

Full disclosure: I backed this game on Kickstarter, with the full intent of reviewing it for the website Sticky Bunton. The full review can be found here.

In short, Journey Away is a narrative roleplaying game that has the feeling of a whimsical JRPG. From its artwork down to writing style, the game carries that lighthearted feeling from start to finish.

Sadly, that's about all the game has going for it.

When I backed this on Kickstarter, I didn't know how long the book would be as it wasn't noted in the campaign. I was a bit surprised when I received a 25 page PDF, 21 of which was the actual game content. I didn't quite feel that it was worth the $10 I paid via Kickstarter, and seeing it for $15 knocks it down even further.

The game itself also doesn't quite feel like a "game." The role of GM is mostly window-dressing, as nearly every decision regarding the session (successes and failures, for example) are actually determined by the players at the table. Did you roll poorly when navigating through the woods? Well, the person next to you will determine what went wrong. It's a fun idea, but now it's just more of a shared storytelling that doesn't need a GM.

The game as a whole also feels a but unfinished. Character creation doesn't exactly feel fully fleshed out or balanced, the examples given for roll results aren't always intuitive, and for being a "non-challenge RPG," I felt it rather odd to see both contested rolls and a potential conflict presented within the game, without having actual conflict resolution mapped out.

Overall, I felt that Journey Away comes off as more of a tool than an actual game. It'd make a nice chapter in a narrative-focused game, but I feel that it's an overpriced, incomplete RPG.

I'd personally rather put that same money into a game that is a bit more fleshed out with more depth and versatility, but if the book is ever on sale ($5 or less) and you want a game that is easy to teach, fast to learn, and be an introduction to shared storytelling, it's not a bad choice. Even if you do want those things, I'm just not certain that Journey Away delivers enough to warrant the pricetag.

You can find my full review of the game here. I gave it a 3.5/5 rating with full details within the review.

For an abbreviated version of that review:

Wrath and Glory is a much welcome addition to the Warhammer RPG line. This new version is a cleaner, user friendly, and much more approachable version of the RPG when compared to the previous line by Fantasy Flight Games.

This book succeeds in many ways that others did not. The mechanic is quick to pick up and easy to hack, using a simple d6 dice pool mechanic. Fans of the miniatures will be right at home here, while roleplayers will have both easy mechanics and a handful of narrative mechanics to utilize to make the game interesting. The game also utilizes a relatively simple point-buy mechanic for building and progressing your characters (although the tables can get a bit much), and the "level" mechanic is more of a guideline of power and less a hard cap.

Wrath and Glory also makes the setting much more approachable; we are given bite-sized bits of lore to get started, which are just enough to draw conclusions but not so lacking that you feel like you need to read thirty years of lore to play.

I'm also a huge fan of using the Imperium Nihilus as a setting. One of the most frustrating parts of the 40k Universe was the hard limit of not allowing different races to cross, and the setting for this game actually promotes it. You can have a game with a Space Marine Scout, an Ork Kommando, a Tempustus Scion, and an Eldar Corsair all working for a Rogue Trader, and not only is it promoted, but it's fitting for the setting.

Sadly, the game has it's failings. Outside of some concerns I have about layout and editing, I do think the game has some mechanical issues. Namely, Wrath and Glory hasn't decided what it wants to be. One set of rules makes the game feel like a theater of mind RPG with a heavy emphasis on utilizing of story elements, but a related rule that is necessary for this works best with a battle map and miniatures (in this example: grenades and splash damage). There are also a few point in this book that a resource that should be completely optional (the Wrath Deck) becomes a mandatory element: "Threatening Tasks" (extended actions) requires the use of the Wrath Deck, and it is one of the rules that doesn't have a sidebar or alternative.

Overall, Wrath and Glory is a fun, fast-paced, and most importantly, accessible entry into the Warhammer 40k universe. It has everything you need to get started, but the game itself seems like it rides a line between a miniatures game with RPG elements, or an RPG with nods to miniature elements, and hasn't decided which way it will go. There are some things that are still missing, like more ships, specialized Astartes (no Librarians, Chaplains, or Apothecaries by the RAW), stats for Tau and Necrons, and a number of other things, but it is a good start to a game line.

I gave it a 3.5/5, as it has a number of good things going for it, even though there is an identity crisis going on.

If you're a fan of the 40k Universe, like easy to grok and hack RPG mechanics, and have a ton of Warhammer miniatures you want to repurpose, then you really can't go wrong with Wrath and Glory. The game has a ton of potential that I hope it will live up to.

You can find my full review on Sticky Bunton by following this link.

But for TL;DR:

If you are a fan of Warhammer or related Grimdark adventures, then you absolutely cannot go wrong with this game. It's one part OSR, one part 21st Century update to a classic genre, and overall an excellent addition to a gamer's collection.

The game is a bit daunting for new or unprepared GMs, though, and as an OSR retroclone, it possesses a number of the problems of that era of gaming.

Overall, it's a good game with solid support, new products to expand on it, and really scratches that itch for a good grimdark game. Pick it up if you're a fan, dedicated to the genre, or a GM that loves the resources this provides, but sidestep it if you aren't a fan of grimdark or rules-heavy games.

Check out my full and detailed review at Sticky Bunton, found here. But for the TL;DR version:

SIGMATA has a lot going for it. It easily captures the feel of 80's dystopian cyberpunk with an alternate history America. The book also is rather timely, as it ties in events occurring around the world, and protrays them in an easier-to-digest and educational matter that the author has proven in his other work, Cryptomancer.

Mechanically speaking, SIGMATA is easy to pick up and teach, and is light with physical requirements (5d6 and 5d10). The game system is built for newbies as well as for the experienced player.

I also felt the game has one of the most balanced super powered mechanics out there while still keeping things interesting.

Sadly, the game does have a few flaws. The art is nice, but there isn't enough of it in my opinion. The core mechanic is simple, but it can leave more to be desired by some play groups due to the limited actions (but they do remove the issue of decision paralysis). Combat of any sort can be a bit one-sided with a heavy-handed GM due to how the game is designed, which is a concern for most of the groups I've shared this with.

Overall, it's a nice game that's a clear improvement over Cryptomancer, but suffers some of the same flaws.

If you like cyberpunk, 80's vibes and technology, and a game that is both quick to pick up and an educational tool, then you should absolutely give SIGMATA a glance.

Like many others, I backed this the very moment I could and started devouring every detail I could. Without going into too much detail (check my blog for more thoughts and reviews), here's what I will say about 7th Sea without comparing it to the 1st Edition (that's for the blog).

(TL;DR: I'm giving the game 4 stars because it's solid, easy to use, versatile, has great potential, and is overall a good game even factoring in the flaws. Yes, I loved 1st Edition, no, it had little to do with influencing my rating)

The setting of 7th Sea is like our real-world Europe, only with a heavy dose of fantasy. What if England recieved the magic and glamour of King Arthur's court? What if Italy was ruled by men who use Machiavelli's "The Prince" as a rulebook? What if France had non-stop heroics like we see in The Three Musketeers? What if the monsters from fairy tales were real, and were roaming the dark, blood drenched countryside of Germany as it recovers from the Thirty Years War?

7th Sea answers all of this, and then some.

The game is built around the idea that you are playing a hero. You are supposed to ride the chandelier to another floor and trap the villains with it in the process. You should find yourself in a trap and have a clever means of escape. Getting hit should only cause a scratch that motivates you to greatness.

7th Sea's mechanic is simple to learn and rather versatile, relying solely on d10s and a flexible pass/fail mechanic. Character creation is a breeze (seasoned 7th Sea players had characters finished in minutes, newbies took just a hair longer), and action scenes move at a rather fast clip.

Magic is handled well here, requiring the expenditure of a Hero Point (tokens you get by doing awesome things or playing up weaknesses/quirks), but you can do amazing things such as turning into an animal or teleporting to another location.

The art is great (even if it is a bit odd at times), it is a full-color rulebook that makes great use of colors and artwork, and is pretty well laid out.

The game is easy to learn, easy to tweak, and has some worthwhile mechanics that improve it's versatility (I'm in love with the Villain mechanics of Strength and Influence, honestly).

Like others have mentioned, it's not perfect (no game truly is). It has a number of typos that still survived the editors and the revisions offered by backers (I found a number of typos I called out that are still there). Some parts of the book feel a bit unfinished, some on purpose (i.e. "the decision is up to the GM"), some possibly accidental (feels like some areas are lacking and had things on the cutting room floor). Some rules are a bit odd, such as how magic is "scaled" (only one magic has "ranks" for abilities, while the rest simply give the power in question), which may leave players and GMs a bit frustrated. There are also some elements of the setting that are lacking or left vague, making it a bit difficult to run the game out of the box without having access to many elements of the 1st Edition setting books (I find myself often picking up the 1st Edition corebook or nations books for information during my games and hoping they won't be changed too drastically).

There are more books coming, and I am hoping that, going forward, they will help fill in the gaps we have in this book and improve upon the product quality.

That said, I will give this game 4 stars. It's a great game with a solid foundation, a strong and passionate fanbase, and some great talent behind it. While it may have angered some fans of the 1st Edition, I found many of the changes refreshing, and the changes I'm wary about can be easily changed. The game is also versatile, allowing for easy modifications or hacks (I'm working on a Dishonored hack that is moving along surprisingly well).

Is it a perfect game? No, it isn't, but it's a great game for anyone who likes swashbuckling, stories of derring-do, and fantasy.